Radio host April Kauffman’s husband will remain in custody — but not as a suspect in her murder

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — The Atlantic County Prosecutor said paranoia may have played a role when an armed Atlantic County doctor challenged police as they executed a warrant at his home and office.

Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner said at a press conference that Dr. James Kauffman — husband of slain radio host April Kauffman — will remain in custody. But Tyner said that's related to an investigation that is not connected to April Kauffman's May 2012 death.

Tyner said that he was "confident" that by keeping Kauffman in custody authorities will be able to continue their current investigation while acknowledging "there are other investigations out there obviously that will continue."

"There's obviously the ongoing investigation of Mrs. Kauffman's homicide," he said. "There is another investigation that we were there that day to work on. The stress of it all, I'd imagine, led him to act in a manner that was illegal."

April Kauffman was found shot dead inside the bedroom of their Linwood home on May 10, 2012. No one has ever been charged with killing her. But her husband has remained under a cloud of suspicion even though prosecutors have not publicly named any suspect.

According to 6 ABC Action News, Kauffman’s stepdaughter, amid a legal dispute over the dead woman’s insurance policies, has accused him of being responsible for her mother’s death.

Kauffman has not been named as a suspect in his wife's killing, but Tyner said when police went to the home and office last Tuesday it was determined that he owned weapons "in an illegal manner."

The execution of the warrant last week turned into a standoff when Kauffman “displayed” a Ruger 9mm when police and the FBI showed up at his office. Kauffman surrendered and was taken into custody of the Psychiatric Intervention Program for monitoring. He was arrested on charges of unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of hollow point bullets and obstruction of the administration of law.

"As far as the other investigations, we will wait to see how they play out," Tyner said.

In addition to Kauffman being taken into custody, the prosecutor's office said last week that several medical files had been seized as well, and that the office would try to get those papers back to patients "as soon as is practicable."